Turkey retires RF-4E Phantoms after fatal crashes

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Lale Sariibrahimoglu, Ankara - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
10 March 2015
Turkey is to retire its remaining RF-4E TM Phantom reconnaissance aircraft on 12 March following a series of crashes, it was announced on 11 March.

Turkey is to retire its RF-4E Phantom reconnaissance aircraft on 12 March following a series of recent crashes of Turkish Phantoms. (Turkish Air Force)

General Abidin Ünal, commander of Combat Air Force and Air Missile Defence Command in Eskisehir, stated that they would be replaced in the reconnaissance role by the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon.

"We have completed the tests on F-16 warfare reconnaissance codes. We will end the flights of RF-4Es tomorrow when the Turkish Air Force Commander General Akin Öztürk and myself will fly with RF-4Es," he added.

While the RF-4E TMs are being retired, Gen Ünal said that the Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) upgraded F-4E 2020 fighters will continue flying.